“… 06 taels of corn per stone, 8 cents per stone of banknotes; japonica rice is 08 taels per stone, and paper money is one yuan and one cent per stone; glutinous rice is 12 taels per stone, and paper money is one yuan and six cents per stone; The baked cake noodles are 2 taels per stone, and the banknotes are 2 yuan and 6 cents per stone..."

"So that means that the gross profit of grain has reached 15%, and the daily trade volume of grain of the Four Seas Commercial Bank is between 5 or 6 thousand taels, and the profit is between 700 and 900 taels?" Zhu Youzhen asked Tu Wenfu.

As Tu Wenfu, who participated in the operation of the Four Seas Commercial Bank on behalf of the court, he is now very satisfied with his current position.

The annual salary is higher than in the past, and the bonus paid according to the profits, although it is not as much as the bribes he received when he served as the celebrant in the past, but this life has made his life much more peaceful.

"Yes, Your Majesty, according to our calculations, this is already equivalent to half of the grain sold in the capital. The remaining half of the population did not buy grain from the Four Seas Commercial Bank, partly because of a long-term contract with a three-section settlement agreement with certain grain merchants.

There are also some people who have their own estates in the countryside, and most of their food and clothing are transported to the capital from the estates, so they will not buy food from others.

Therefore, the directors believe that in the current grain market, in terms of food prices, we can raise the selling price by another 10 percent..."

"No need, this price is very good, after adjusting the price of grain, do the people in the capital still have such a high enthusiasm for exchanging paper money?" Zhu Youzhen leaned on the chair and interrupted Tu Wenfu's words.

Tu Wenfu thought for a moment and continued: "Glass lampshades, soap, glassware, etc. are in short supply in the firm, and the directors of the firm hope that the glaze factory and soap factory can expand production. ”

"Isn't the production of these appliances calculated according to the population of the capital? Even if it's a little different, it won't be in short supply, right? Zhu Youzhen asked with some confusion.

Tu Wenfu immediately replied: "The glass lampshade is brighter and more transparent than the lampshade made of silk and paper, and there is no need to be afraid of being ignited. Although the price is more expensive than the lampshade made of tissue paper, it can be used for a long time, and it is still more cost-effective.

When we first calculated, we thought that the price of glass lampshades was almost twice the price of silk lampshades, and they were easy to break. Therefore, for every 10 households, about one or two households will buy.

But now more than people in the capital are rushing to buy glass lampshades, some of them use them for their own use, some people take glass lampshades and new soap as New Year's gifts, and some merchants want to buy some and sell them in Jiangnan, so there is naturally a shortage. ”

Zhu Youzhen just thought about it and said: "It is impossible to expand the production capacity of soap before the oil problem is solved." However, the glaze factory has already figured out a mature formula, but it can expand production capacity.

In this way, you will go to discuss with the directors of Sihai Commercial Bank, the Liuli Factory will provide the formula and technical guidance personnel, and the Sihai Commercial Bank will invest in the establishment of a new factory. Liuli Factory accounted for 4 percent of the shares, and Sihai Commercial Bank accounted for 6 percent. ”

Tu Wenfu was suddenly a little stunned and said: "Your Majesty, now the production works of the Liuli Factory are in short supply in the capital. After the thaw of the Spring Canal this year, the south will inevitably also be hot, and the population of the capital is less than one-third of the population of Suzhou City in the south. ”

Zhu Youzhen said dissatisfiedly: "Since the directors of the Four Seas Commercial Bank can support my resolution, they are not outsiders. If we eat meat and don't even give soup to others, do you think anyone will be willing to do business with the palace in the future?

And after the Lantern Festival, the factory construction plan of textile and iron smelting will be put on the agenda, and we still have so much money to invest in the new glaze factory?

As long as the production capacity can be expanded, even 4% of the profit is quite large. We need to sell these new products not only to the south, but also overseas, to the grasslands. With such a large market, we should worry about how big a glass factory should be built. ”

For Chongzhen's optimism, Tu Wenfu always felt a little unreliable, these overseas barbarian places have no output, do they really have so much money to buy Daming's goods?

However, he would not pour cold water on the emperor at this time, but eagerly complimented Chongzhen's foresight.

After sending away Tu Wenfu, who came to report on the sales status of Sihai Commercial Bank, Wang Chengen walked in with a few documents.

Zhu Youzhen, who was about to get up, asked a little strangely: "At this time, who else is there to play for me?" ”

Wang Chengen said cautiously: "It is the joint concert sent by the Great Sima Wang Taicang and the Shanhaiguan General Zhao Shujiao, from Shanhaiguan. ”

Zhu Youzhen sat back in his chair, nodded at Wang Chengen and said, "Then you read it, I listen." ”

After listening to Wang Chengen read the recitals taught by Wang Zaijin and Zhao Shujiao, Zhu Youzhen thought for a long time before saying slowly.

"You record it for me and write a private message to Wang Shang in my name. First of all: I would like to express my gratitude to him and Mr. Zhao for their contributions to the safety of the Ming Dynasty.

Secondly: I think it is inappropriate for the two of them to propose that the land under the name of the officer not be cleared for the time being.

I agreed to grant a certain area of land according to the size of the military rank, but I could not completely exempt the land tax.

Tax-free fields should be divided according to serving soldiers, martyrs' families, and disabled soldiers, rather than according to the size of their military ranks.

For the excess land of the officers, a policy of redemption may be implemented, and the price of the land can be paid in ten-year instalments. In addition, a land certificate for the same land area outside the customs will be given, and the land will be distributed after the recovery of Liaodong.

Thirdly, for the purpose of land redemption, the principle of voluntariness is temporarily followed, and the names of officers who respond to the imperial court's policy and those who do not respond to the imperial court's policy must be registered in the register.

The chief officers of all ministries are not allowed to be officers who do not support the policies of the imperial court, and some officers who have reached the retirement age can start to arrange for retirement, and those who are promoted in the future to respond to the policies of the imperial court are preferred.

Finally, a group of experienced middle- and lower-level military attachés from the border army were selected to go to the capital for training for half a year. There are also a group of non-commissioned officers under the age of 20 who have made meritorious contributions or performed well on weekdays to enter the Beijing Army Military Academy to study. ”

Wang Chengen took a pencil and quickly wrote down Chongzhen's instructions, and after he wrote the last stroke, he continued: "Dongchang and Jinyiwei have recently summarized some price information outside the Guanwai and the capital, Your Majesty also wants to listen to it?" ”

Zhu Youzhen blinked his eyes and said, "Okay, you can say it." ”

Wang Chengen hurriedly picked up a document and flipped through it and read: "... Due to the resistance of the dismissed officers and soldiers to paper money, the ministers had to negotiate with local merchants to exchange paper money for five for silver.

… Since the Four Seas Trading House only accepts paper money, the silver exchanged for paper money is in good condition. It is to take a part of the treacherous people to take the silver taels of insufficient fineness, exchange paper money privately outside Beijing, and then take the paper money to buy goods at the Four Seas Commercial Bank, or directly exchange it for silver.

As a result, some of the deceived sergeants clashed with the traitors, either fighting privately or complaining to the Suncheonfu, which dealt with dozens or even hundreds of such cases every day.

Now is the time for the Feng Ya to go on vacation, and the officials are not in the Yamen, so the patrol police station in charge of public security in the capital does not know how to deal with these cases and these people..."

After Zhu Youzhen finished listening, he suddenly asked Wang Chengen: "What do you think these things should be done?" ”

Wang Chengen immediately lowered his head and said respectfully: "The minister is stupid, and he can't think of how to deal with these things, and the minister obeys His Majesty's orders." ”

Zhu Youzhen rubbed his temples, and after a while, he raised his head and said, "Let the Four Seas Trading House open a shop near the Jingying station, so that the sergeants can buy things and exchange coins."

In addition, the news that banknotes outside the customs can only be discounted by five was released, and Shanhaiguan was notified to temporarily relax the inspection of merchants and goods entering and leaving the customs.

The Ministry of International Trade and Postal Services is required to set up a commercial administration bureau to issue licenses to merchants who enter the customs and to review them once a year. ”

After Wang Chengen recorded it, he couldn't help but whisper a suggestion: "Your Majesty, the silver taels that these traitors exchange for paper money are all coarse silk silver or variegated silver of poor fineness.

Isn't this a clear way to take advantage of Your Majesty? Since those non-commissioned officers can accept the coarse silk silver and variegated silver with poor color, why should we exchange the pattern silver, why don't we..."

Zhu Youzhen shook his head at Wang Chengen and said, "How much do you think these banknotes themselves are worth?" ”

Wang Chengen blinked his eyes for a long time and couldn't answer Chongzhen's question, so he had to answer abruptly: "I don't know." ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled and said: "In fact, the cost of these banknotes is not much different from the cost of Daming treasure banknotes. ”

Wang Chengen's face turned a little pale, and he said in a little panic: "Then Your Majesty wants to exchange real money for these worthless waste papers?" ”

Zhu Youzhen pursed his lips and said: "The paper money itself is indeed worthless, but if you can use it to buy goods, or exchange it for silver, then it is a valuable piece of waste paper."

If we can guarantee at all times that every dollar of paper money will be exchanged for seven cents and two cents of silver, then the people will surely keep the paper money with a stable value and throw away the silver that is not of good condition.

But if we arbitrarily reduce the fineness or quantity of silver, it is actually tantamount to telling the people that paper money is not a stable unit of currency, and the real fixed currency is still silver.

Then the people will throw out the paper money that will depreciate in the future and exchange it for silver with a stable value. So you must let Dongchang and Jinyiwei keep an eye on me, and don't let the currency exchange point of the Four Seas Commercial Bank have an accident of insufficient silver fineness, understand? ”

Wang Chengen's forehead was a little sweaty, and he hurriedly nodded and said, "The minister will definitely order to keep an eye on the currency exchange office of the Four Seas Commercial Bank, so as not to let the traitors take advantage of it." ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded and said, "If you say that, I will be a little relieved." Has Mr. Yang arrived in Shenyang? ”

Wang Chengen immediately lowered his head and rummaged through the documents in his hand before quickly answering: "According to the plan, Mr. Yang will arrive in Shenyang around the Lantern Festival." ”

Zhu Youzhen was silent, and after a long time, he suddenly said: "I don't know what Wang Huazhen and they are doing on Phi Dao now..."